Edmonton among cities who could host new PWHL team

The City of Edmonton are among those across North America who could be in line for a Professional Women’s Hockey League team.

The PWHL, now in its third season, has been the most successful rendition of a pro women’s league, with eight teams now established. The league’s Original Six, the Boston Fleet, Minnesota Frost, Montreal Victoire, New York Sirens, Ottawa Charge, and Toronto Sceptres were joined by a pair of expansion teams this season, the Seattle Torrent and Vancouver Goldeneyes.

And now, the league could be looking to expand once again, PWHL advisory board member Stan Kasten revealed last weekend.

Daily Faceoff’s Tyler Kuehl dove into 10 potential cities the league could expand to, listing Edmonton as a “borderline hopeful.” Here’s what he wrote:

I feel like there is an itch to put a team in Alberta in general, and it’s clear with the number of times the PWHL has played in Edmonton. It’s a hockey-mad city, with a number of Alberta natives currently active in the league. The league seems to be interested in adding another team out west, but can provide as a checkpoint, if you will, between Vancouver/Seattle and Minnesota and a potential Midwest team.

What knocks Edmonton down a peg for me is the rather mediocre turnouts this season. There was a lot of excitement for the first Takeover game in February 2025, with over 17,000 packing inside Rogers Place. However, the game between Vancouver and Minnesota in December drew just over 10,000, while the second game on Tuesday night doing the same, barely reached the upper bowl. Heck, even the Rivalry Series game between the United States and Canada in December didn’t even draw 5,000 fans.

The hurdle that Edmonton also has is that there are already two hockey teams that call Rogers Place home – the Edmonton Oilers and the WHL’s Edmonton Oil Kings. Yet, if the right partners are ready to do business, the provincial capital of Alberta might be given an honest look.